Miss Bertram, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 8) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

This card, showing Miss Bertram, was produced by Allen & Ginter for Virginia Brights Cigarettes. The company was among the first to include collectible cards in their packaging. The photographic image on paper is a relatively recent medium, and here it’s combined with the industrial processes of mass marketing. The card itself is small and ephemeral, designed for collecting rather than high art appreciation. It’s printed in sepia tones, giving it a nostalgic feel even at the time. The ballerina depicted embodies a certain kind of feminine ideal, and her image helped to sell tobacco products to a wide consumer base. We can think of these cards as being part of a much wider system: from the labor that went into tobacco production, to the photographic studios, printing presses, and ultimately the point of sale. The making of this card, and countless others like it, reveals a complex intersection of entertainment, advertising, and commodity culture.